


A Fading Light

by AllKindsOfEverything



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, F/F, Gen, bellow diamond - Freeform, but not too shippy, slight Body Horror I guess?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-18
Updated: 2019-06-24
Packaged: 2019-10-12 07:43:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 4,997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17463413
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AllKindsOfEverything/pseuds/AllKindsOfEverything
Summary: When two Diamonds battle each other there can't be anything but devastationit tears the fabric of space itself





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> They said they wanted angst... so instead of the usual fluff, that's what you're getting.  
> Thanks to my darling friend & beta, @t_hanson, the Queen of Angst™, for her encouragement. ♥

Her usually silent footfall echoed eerily through the battered hallways, slithers of their casualties collecting on the hem of her dress as she strode passed torn curtains and burst windows.  
The once so perfect marble floor was littered with shards, fallen from the walls; the cracked, broken remains of the gems that had been on duty when the battle had begun. Dozens of them were piercing the soles of her feet with every step she took, as if to beg her not to forget their sacrifice.  
Time was warped in these parts of Homeworld. The silence here was deafening, preventing you from forming coherent thoughts. The planet's atmosphere had been compromised when White's finely tuned machinery had lost its integrity. Now, the dust that hadn't settled was suspended mid-air, jingling like thousands of tiny bells where she walked through it.  
Homeworld was broken, and so was she.

Deep within the bowels of White's tower lay a room bathed in the faint light of a dying star.   
This was where her creator had taken her last stand - still was, in some ways.  
And this was where her existence had lost its purpose.  
Amongst fractured columns and shattered panels throbbed an open wound between dimensions, glistening in faint shades of white and yellow.

Blue Diamond drifted towards it, unblinkingly. The tears falling from her eyes in steady streams were being pulled towards the gaping rupture that kept whispering her name like a song. Without thinking, she reached out a shaking hand toward its searing heat.

A twisted figure slipped from the crack in reality and dropped to the floor in a pile of disjointed bones and glitching light. It formed itself into a familiar shape; a gemless facsimile of Yellow Diamond the day she had faced White. When she touched the ground, the dust fell; time briefly restored to its regular pace.  
"You're not supposed to be here," the creature cautioned, its voice a low rumble that didn't seem to come from its mouth. She glanced up with blazing eyes, staring through her visitor.

Every part of her wanted to run to her and hold her close, but Blue knew that couldn't be.  
This wasn't the Diamond she loved, but something different, using her face to hide the horror of its own. 

"I told you I wouldn't stop coming here until you give her back."

Full lips curled back into a snarl. She barked out a laugh with her head thrown back and Yellow's voice turned into White's.   
"Oh, Moonlight." Her smile was unsettling. "You'll never learn."   
Without warning, she lunged forward, claws tearing through the fabric of Blue's dress before she cried out in pain and fell to her knees. Her shoulders raised, she wrapped her arms around her own torso and whimpered.   
A second later, her pleading eyes gazed up at Blue's. "Leave." 

"Yellow!" Hope curled around her gem when she saw the spark of recognition. She reached out to touch her, but her companion shrunk back.

"Please!" Yellow's voice was desperate. "I can't hold her much longer." The veins in her neck and forehead protruded, pulsing in brilliant white flashes.

"I am not leaving without you," Blue argued, cupping Yellow's face between her hands.

"You have to." Her fingers curled around Blue's wrists, pulling them away, her whole body shaking with the strain of staying in control of this form. 

"You can beat her." Blue whispered urgently, lacing their fingers together, ignoring the unnatural heat radiating from them. She pressed her forehead against hers, closing her eyes. "I know you can. You  _ have  _ to." Blue stared back at Yellow, tears spilling over, "You have to."

Yellow stared at her for a long moment; the void's call growing louder in the back of her mind. She freed one of her hands and brushed it down Blue's cheek.   
"You know," she smiled sadly while her index finger skimmed across Blue's lower lip. "I loved you." Meeting her eyes, she felt herself glitch. "I love you."

"Then fight, Yellow." Blue cried, "Don't leave me." She watched in terror as the gentility disappeared from her golden eyes. 

The being's features twisted into something surreal, growing fangs that made its crooked grin even more unsettling. It began to melt like wax, crawling after Blue while the Diamond scurried back, trying to get as much distance between them as possible.  
Reaching out with the quickly dissolving remnants of a hand, it disappeared into thin air.

Blue stared at the spot it had occupied just seconds ago, shaking with fear.   
Struggling to her feet, she dragged herself close to the rupture again and fell to her hands and knees, sobbing. She stared into the blinding light and breathed, "Come back to me."

Inside the rift, two gems could be seen orbiting one another. Two Diamonds suspended mid air, like the dust that would never settle on Homeworld's surface, fighting for dominance, neither winning nor losing.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Diamond's fight tore the fabric of the universe, but Blue is not ready to let Yellow stay stranded between dimensions.  
> When she's at her wits end, Steven comes to her rescue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apparently I'm too good at angst and everybody was left upset by how this originally ended.  
> So now I'm turning this into hurt&comfort, just to give you all your happy ending ... by chapter 10 or so (...maybe 8. probably 7.).

Every time Blue came back, she could tell Yellow was growing weaker.  
The first time she had found a way to communicate through the entity made of stardust, she had warned her about it.  
Yellow wouldn't stop holding on to Homeworld's dimension; not until she knew with absolute certainty that Blue was far enough away not to be physically affected by it when she finally let go.

Stubborn as she was, Blue remained close by, clinging on to hope.  
The war had lain devastation on gemkind; a war that Pink Diamond had begun without realising its consequences.  
Steven. He had been so naive. And they all had paid the price.  
Now here they were, lost in time, a faint memory in the vastness of the universe's mind.  
Soon, the glory of their empire would be forgotten just like so many before.  
But for now, they were still here.

Blue Diamond stared up at the stars, kneeling in the middle of the Piazza in front of White's tower, her palm pressed against the dusty, cracked mosaic, depicting the Authority's emblem that adorned its floor.  
There had been so much life here once. She remembered it well.

Between the stars, a ship cut its way through space, carrying a makeshift family of gems and humans to a destination they dreaded to see again.  
Steven stood next to Lars as he brought them back to the remnants of Homeworld, determination etched onto his face. There, in the distance, pulsed the torn planet that they had tried so hard to get away from. On its surface, the gems who had given everything to keep him safe were still fighting a losing battle.  
Connie took his hand and stared straight ahead. They had to try; one final time.

She saw the ship reach their orbit but remained unmoving, tears that wouldn't fall clouding her vision. The gravitational pull of the planet had been warped when the fight of the Diamonds had torn the fabric of the universe.  
With the atmosphere gone, everything was lighter; even the dust of battle still hung mid-air, like an eternal mist.  
If it hadn't been so cruel, one might have found it poetic. A part of her did.

"Hello, Blue." Steven's voice was muffled by the bubble that shielded him and his human friends against the vacuum of space.  
Next to him, the Crystal Gems and Off-Colours didn't dare look at the mourning Diamond.

Blue didn't care how she looked; she hadn't in a long time. Without greeting, she whispered, "What are you doing here?"  
Her fingertips traced the crack in the yellow diamond shape of the emblem she sat next to.

"We came to help," Steven voiced, determined.

A cold smile lifted the corners of Blue's mouth.  
"Help," she barked out an icy laugh. " _ Now _ you want to help. Now that I've lost," she trailed off.

Garnet stepped forward, her hands clenched into fists at her sides as she addressed her former superior. "Yellow Diamond isn't dead yet."

Anger broke through her sadness and she lashed out "How dare you speak her name!"

With tears gathering around her visor, Garnet answered through gritted teeth, "We are your last chance. Do you really want to ruin it by fighting us?"

Her aura vanished within the blink of her eye. Brushing her hand across her face, she released her teardrops into the space around her, her vision clear, her mind made up.  
She looked down at the diamond emblem one last time, stroking over the faded yellow fondly, before she got to her feet and straightened to her full height. 

"Follow me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks -as always- to my precious @t_hanson ♥ I love you and your input.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The plot thickens.   
> I'd like to thank Gene Roddenberry, because Star Trek made me so good at technobabble, I do not require the service of a generator ;op.  
> Also, of course, thanks to Han. For letting me whine about details. Not necessarily in this chapter just... in general. ♥

They made their way to the rift in silence, Blue's strides long and regal until they reached the destroyed throne room. The feeling of dread made her falter when the pulsing light came into view. It had grown fainter yet again.  
She kept staring into the void, too mesmerised by it to notice the Crystal Gems putting up metal poles, in a star shaped pattern, around the perimeter.

Peridot's brow creased in concentration while she made some last minutes changes to her calculations, the artificial fingers of her recently reclaimed limb enhancer dancing across the screen she had summoned.  
"Okay, everybody, hold on to your force field projector and make sure they stay aligned."

Blue snapped out of her trance and watched a power grid form around them, looking from gem to gem as they paired up to hold the large metal rods in position.

Dust fell to the floor in small clouds and settled as the gravity was restored inside the field. 

"It's safe now." Peridot nodded at Steven and he popped the protective bubble he had kept around his oxygen-requiring friends. 

A gasp from the Diamond next to them made them look in her direction.

"It's okay, Blue." Steven soothed with a smile. "Peri has it under control."  
He watched her shoot the gem in question a wayward glance.

She was weary, had been for quite some time now, and it was obvious she couldn't hide it from them.  
Looking back at the rift and then at Peridot, Blue tried to kindle the flame of hope inside her chest. She leaned in to study the calculations that still scrolled through the screen, trying to make heads or tails of it. After a moment, she gave up. "What are you doing?"

Her eyes didn't leave the screen while she answered, absently . "I'm going to use the amplitude modulators to manipulate the dimensional break, so we can send a signal through it."

Blue couldn't help but smile; the technobabble sounding  like something Yellow would say. How she missed her. How she yearned for her.  
Looking back at the rift, she absent-mindedly pressed her fingertips against the gem on her chest, thinking of her, willing for her to hear.  __ 'Come back to me.'  
She could almost make out the outlines of the two diamonds that danced around each other in the middle of the dimensional tear.  
Her eyes widened when a realisation hit her. "No! You're going to free White as well."

"Not if I reverse the Wollaston-prism so it combines your wavelengths. It will create an inverted tractor beam that she can use to reach our dimension without compromising her energy signature."

Steven understood the confused expression on the Diamond's face all too well. He had been just as lost when Peridot had first proposed her solution to him. He called her name to get her attention. "Remember what White said about Yellow's flaws?"

His question made her think back to when White had held her mind hostage inside her own body; to the words reverberating inside her head while her mouth had spoken without her consent. The memory made her shiver.  
"That she's weak because of the lack of blue in her spectrum?"

"Yes. We need you to channel your colour so she can hold on to that," Steven parroted what he had learned from the engineer at their side. "Like a transfer beam. White won't be able to use it because her spectrum already includes both your colours."

"That's the beauty of it," Peridot chimed in, obviously proud of herself. Her nose up in the air, she grinned broadly. "White Diamond won't be able to use it the same way Yellow Diamond does, because she's too perfect."

Blue stared at her for a long moment. White was too perfect to escape the rift?  
Oh, the irony.

"Hey, could you guys hurry it up?" 

They turned to where Amethyst and Pearl were trying to steady one of the metal rods that held the force field in place. The purple gem smirked, sweat trickling down her temple. "These things are getting a bit difficult to handle."

"Right!" Peridot quickly went back to her calculations. Three minutes later, she nodded. "We're ready."

Eyeing the oddly shaped circle of gems and humans who were busy keeping the metal beams upright, Blue turned to Steven. "What now?"

"We send your colour into the rift and... hope for the best, I guess." He tried to look as assertive as possible.

"What do I do?"

"Think of her." Steven wasn't sure if it would do any good. Remembering what he had witnessed inside the aural realm, he continued, "Reach out with your mind. Make her hear you."

Blue felt the glimmer of hope inside her grow at his words and smiled. "Okay."

"You will feel a slight tingling sensation." Peridot mumbled and pushed the final button.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos to those who get the ref in the last spoken sentence ;o)


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> with Peridot's help, Blue reaches into the void, searching for Yellow.

Her eyes widened in shock as the beam hit her gem. They hadn't warned her about _that_.  
Where Peridot had made her expect a tingle, she experienced a burn that reminded her of touching a sun. It tore through her, scattering pieces of her mind, taking them along into the void between dimensions.  
_Lost. Scared. Alone. Uncertain._  
Blue clenched her teeth, her nails digging into her palms as her hands curled in an attempt to focus again. She couldn't give in to these feelings. She couldn't let them get the better of her. Above all: She couldn't let herself poof.  
With her eyes screwed shut, she steeled herself against the world and opened another.  
Inside her head, the blazing light that had engulfed her so suddenly, slowly ebbed away and was replaced by an almost familiar darkness.  
It was quiet here. Calm. Opening her mind's eyes, she looked around and let herself go.  
When was the last time she had come here deliberately?  
She smiled when she remembered. The day she had felt Pink's aura.  
_Warmth. Security. Love._  
_Yellow._

"Yellow!" Blue's voice felt much louder in here than in the outside world. Nothing was around her now. Just the vastness of this dimension.  
Dimensions. Yes. The tear through them. She remembered her purpose now.  
"Yellow?"  
Yellow was dying. The wave of agony the thought brought with it expanded in a perfect shade of blue, painting the darkness in her colour.  
She looked around, letting her light burn through the hollow around her, her voice determined when she screamed. "Find me!"

Blue's aural being felt a sliver of something other than herself, like a gentle breath against the shell of her ear.  
"Yellow," she whispered to herself and concentrated, helping the faint imprint grow into something more tangible; a gentle cautioning rooted in affection. 

Time worked different in here. She knew that she hadn't been in this realm for more than a few minutes, but the waiting made it feel like days had passed.  
Her gem ached with the strain of spreading herself so thinly.  
"You're my strength," Blue felt the phantoms of tears that couldn't be trickle down her cheeks. "I'm sorry, my love." Gazing around, she dropped to her knees, her persistence wavering. "Please." 

She shut her eyes. Somewhere behind her she could feel the creature that lurked in the space between realities slither closer. If it found her before Yellow she knew she would never be able to return to her own world.  
Then again, if it meant leaving without Yellow, it wasn't an option. Her folded hands pressed against her chest, she shivered. " _Please._ "

~*~

Yellow had known White all her life.  
She remembered every lesson, every scolding, every failure.  
She also remembered every weakness the other gem had ever shown.  
There were few.  
But being perfect also meant being predictable.  
So even though White had battled her for what felt like years now, she knew how to parry.  
What she didn't know was how to _win_.

Keeping the link to their world open was taking its toll.  
She couldn't bear the thought of letting go. Not without knowing that Blue was going to be alright.  
Of course she would mourn. But she had Pink back.  
Everyone knew that Blue was lost without Pink.  
Everyone knew that Blue could survive without Yellow.  
At least that's what she kept telling herself as she did everything she could to keep her creator's gem from returning.  
And then she felt it.

A tug at the back of her mind. An imbalance in the void that felt so familiar, it made her stumble.  
White didn't seem to notice at all.  
Yellow did.

Their eternal dance continued; White attacked and Yellow deflected.

In the blazing light of the bubble they had created around them to scare away the darkness of the void and the things that hid in it, their combat never ceased.  
But there was more now.  
Something pushing against her gem, seeping in without her permission. Cool, soothing, caring. A gentle touch, like fingertips stroking down the back of her neck.  
_Blue_.  
No, this couldn't be. This was wishful thinking; It couldn't be her. It _shouldn't_ be.  
She was supposed to leave, to get as far away from Homeworld as possible.  
_ 'I  _ _ told _ _ you,' _ she growled at the unseen gem without moving her lips. Another lash from White, barely grazing her before she riposted.  
It grew brighter then, staining her vision in a shade she would recognise anywhere.  
"Blue," Yellow whispered and watched White's eyes widen before she attacked with new found vigour.  
She took a direct hit and slipped, pushed out of the steady orbit they had kept each other in.

__ Please.  
It sounded so broken. So sad.  
Yellow knew that if she stopped now, White would win. But there was a ray of light cutting through the darkness and it carried her name with it.  
Love won over prudence and she reached out to caress the cool beam, turning so it hit her gem, wrapping itself around it.  
Overwhelmed by the feeling, Yellow gasped and felt a sharp tug she couldn't explain.  
The last thing she heard was White screaming before everything turned blurry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...yeah, as if I could let Yellow die for good.  
> I would *never*.


	5. Chapter 5

Outside the rupture, Steven was holding his breath, watching Blue struggle, obviously in pain. In all of Peridot's explanations, she had never mentioned that channeling the beam might hurt Blue. Now it was too late to stop. Everyone knew that.

The rift began to glow brighter and brighter, Blue's whimpers turning into a soul-tearing scream as the light became so intense, everyone had to turn away.

Peridot's fingers were still flying across her screen, her visor's setting changing automatically to shield her eyes from the blinding light.   
Around her, the Crystal Gems were brought to their knees but still held on to the tall rods they had been assigned to. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the metal begin to melt, sparks of yellow electricity crackling around them as they malfunctioned.   
Blue Diamond had fallen as well, whispering a single word that was drowned out as the humming of the force field grew louder. They were out of time.

"There!" Peridot yelled, latching on to the energy signature she had been looking for.

Yellow Diamond's form was ripped from the rift in a flash of blue light.  
The moment she reached their dimension, the void collapsed behind her; her body glitched before disappearing, her gem falling to the ground.

Everything grew quiet as the universe reset itself.   
A faint breeze blew across the ruins, ruffling their hair, nipping at their clothing, playing with the settling dust.  
"Blue! We did it!" Steven cried out happily, running to lift up the yellow diamond, inspecting it thoroughly.   
"No cracks, no spalling, not even a scratch," he beamed. "She'll be fine, Blue! Blue?" When he didn't receive an answer, he looked back to where she had sat only moments ago. "Oh."   
The light reflected brilliantly off the blue gem where it lay in the dirt of Homeworld. 

~*~

After the rift had closed, the planet had returned to normal, and the battered gems had boarded their ship to return to Earth. Steven had taken the Diamonds' gems to the leg ship for safe keeping. 

He placed them carefully on the pile of cushions in Blue's private chamber and gently tucked a blanket around them. Pearl had stayed close to the door while he took his time rearranging the sheets.   
"Now guys, I put you extra close together so you know where the other is." He stroked Blue's gem with a smile. "Blue, I know it was tough channeling that beam, so just take your time and rest." Turning to the other diamond, he pressed his hand to its middle. "And Yellow, I know you must be tired after all that fighting. But Blue's right here when you wake up and we'll be just outside if you need us."  
Steven looked back at Pearl and slipped off the cushions, jumping down and running over to where she was waiting on the threshold. Before leaving the room, he glanced back at them. "They'll be okay, right, Pearl?"

Looking down at him, Pearl smiled encouragingly. "I'm sure they'll be fine."   
She took his hand and lead him away.


	6. Chapter 6

Blue reformed with a tired sigh. She had been anxious to return, so she had only taken a fracture of the time she usually did. Looking around where she was sitting with outstretched legs on a familiar cluster of pillows, she felt a warm gem rest against the side of her thigh. The crease in her brow smoothed out and a smile played across her lips when she spotted Yellow's diamond, half hidden beneath the blankets that were covering her legs.

She ran her fingertips over the smooth, warm surface, memories of the rift and the creature it was hiding crawling through her mind. A cold shiver ran down her spine.  
"I almost lost you," Blue whispered, gently picking the gem up. Trailing her eyes over every facet, she was relieved to find it undamaged and kissed it gently. She knew she couldn't hear her. But she also knew that she could sense her closeness.  
It was part of the bond they shared; a gift from White she hadn't meant to give them.  
She could sense that Yellow was still struggling to come back.   
"It's okay," Blue mumbled lowly, "Take your time."   
She rolled onto her side, pulling up the soft covers, the diamond nestled in her arm.   
"I'll be here."

~*~

Deep inside her gem, Yellow Diamond sat on imaginary knees with her arms wrapped around her torso. She knew this wasn't where she was supposed to be; she knew out there, Blue was waiting for her to reform. She could feel it like a soft breeze against the back of her neck. 

It was over.  
She had been torn from the void, back into this reality, cradled by Blue's light.   
But a fight between realities took its toll, no matter if you were saved.  
She had seen things in there that still haunted her. Inside the eternal darkness creatures lurked, that had neither eyes nor ears, but saw and heard everything, regardless. They fed off your essence, devoured your mind. She shook her head, trying to get rid of the unwelcome thoughts.   
"No. No more."   
Her memories brought her back to the lunatic glint in her creator's eyes. How she seemed elated that they had broken through the barrier. She had felt her aura scratch at the inside of her throat and behind her eyes, clawing its way into her head.  
For a moment, Yellow hadn't been able to keep her out. For a moment, she had understood the twisted motives behind everything White Diamond had done and the absolute logic that lead to her decisions. And for just that moment, she had wanted to give in and agree.   
They had created a bubble of light around them to scare off the creatures of the dark and Yellow had found herself nodding at every thought that was shared.  
But then White had made the mistake of showing her Blue.  
And it was for Blue that Yellow fought.

She could feel her presence now. Cool and calming and reaching for her. Gentle fingertips brushed over her gem in steady patterns, soothing her troubled soul.   
It had been for her that she had clung to existence and it was for her that she would return. 

Yellow concentrated on the thought of Blue and all the feelings it brought with it.   
She reached for a time before battle. A time where they had been younger. Trusting.  __ Free.  
Her vision filled with the gentle face she had so often touched. Her gem vibrating with the love she felt for no one but her.   
She could almost hear her laughter.

Pouring her light into the reality they shared, the back of her head touched down on the soft cushion that was Blue Diamond's lap.   
She keep her new eyes closed, rolling onto her side, feeling a tender arm wrap around her torso to hold her gently.  
An appreciative hum rumbled deep in her throat and after a second there it was; that airy giggle she adored so much.   
Smiling, she felt Blue's fingers comb through her hair. Movement; the rustle of fabric before soft lips brushed her temple, a hand against her neck, slim fingertips sliding further around to toy with the short hair on the back of it. 

Gazing down at the smiling Diamond in her arms, she whispered "Welcome back."  
Familiar eyes fluttered open, sparkling drowsily.

"Hi," Yellow breathed, snuggling closer.   
The cool fingers continued toying with her hair. She glanced up at Blue again, her voice still groggy. "Is it over?"

Tears pooled in her eyes and she nodded.   
"Yes." Brushing the backs of her fingers down Yellow's cheek, she traced her features lovingly. "You've done well."

Her smile widened at the comment. Humming again, she found Blue's hand and laced their fingers together. It was then that she realised she had not thought of adding gloves to her new form.  
Maybe later.  
For now, she was too content.   
She kissed the back of Blue's hand, before placing it against the warm gem on her chest and gave in to exhaustion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please consider leaving a comment  
> it shows me that someone cares


	7. epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> yeah, sorry. I forgot about this.

Feeling a cool fingertip trace her features, Yellow smiled. "Mmm... that's nice."

Above her, Blue giggled airly. She waited until Yellow opened her eyes. "How are you feeling?"

"Better." Yellow nuzzled into the hand that had come to rest on her cheek. Taking a deep breath she didn't need, she hummed. "How long have I been out?"

"Oh, a couple of hours, I think."

Yellow huffed in amusement, "You think?" 

Shrugging, Blue watched her slowly sit up. "I didn't keep track of time."

She yawned, stretching lazily. "I guess we'll have to get back."

"To what?"

Yellow stayed quiet, unsure of how to answer. What _would_ they get back to?  
Looking down at herself, she furrowed her brow. "Oh."  
She ran her hand down her torso, surprised to find stiff fabric instead of the hard armor she had gotten so used to.

"Yes, I was surprised as well." Blue reached out and touched the soft sleeve of the tunic her companion was wearing beneath a leather jerkin. Leaning closer, she kissed the side of her neck. 

"It suits you." Her nose traced the sharp jawline before pressing another kiss to the soft skin, whispering, "I like it."

Yellow felt herself blushing.  
"Do you?" She turned to watch Blue nod. Her smirk widened, "Then I'll keep it."

It was such a strange statement, such an open one. Blue felt happiness grip her gem and blinked back tears. 

"What?" Yellow moved closer, ready to offer an embrace if it was needed.

Blue shook her head and looked down, huffing out a laugh. 

Unsure what was wrong, Yellow did what her soul demanded and pulled Blue into a hug, resting her chin against a bare shoulder. When her hands slipped beneath the long hair that shielded her companion's back, she was surprised to find more silken skin instead of the velvet dress she had expected. "This is new?"

An amused chuckle, while Blue snuggled closer. "Do you like it?"

She let her fingertips trace her spine and brought her lips close to her ear. "Immensely."  
Her nose nudged the soft curtain of hair aside, so she could kiss the spot behind her ear she knew Blue enjoyed. Smiling at the way she turned her head to give her better access, Yellow brushed her mouth down her neck and nipped at its base.  
"I've missed you," she whispered against her skin and hugged her closer.  
A kiss against her neck; suddenly warm tears were wetting her skin where Blue caressed it. Furrowing her brow, she brought one hand up to cup the back of Blue's head, lacing her fingers through the silken strands of her hair.  
"It's okay. I'm here now." 

Her arms snuck further around Yellow's torso, their gems pressed against each other as she clung to her. Bunching the fabric of her tunic up in her fists, she inhaled the familiar scent of Yellow's skin, and let it calm her troubled mind. She was safe.

They stayed like that for a long time, neither wanting to be the first to let go.  
White Diamond had been lost to this realm.  
The cards had been reshuffled. What had appeared to be cast in stone was now reduced to rubble. The future was uncertain.  
But at least they had each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There you have it. The fluffy bits.  
> Thanks for tagging along.  
> Feel free to yell at me about your Bellow feelings in the comments. ♥

**Author's Note:**

> I could add to this, if you want. Some other time.


End file.
